Prehistoric clues to a better future for dads & families

1 September, 2016
by Matt Sanders

From a modern-day perspective, it seems that our growing awareness that fathers play a crucial role in parenting is a new thing. But it turns out that having hands-on fathers is partly what makes us human.

There’s no doubt that fatherhood is changing. For example, in the U.S.A., there are an estimated 200,000 married stay-at-home dads, and around 1.9 million single dads (16 percent of single parents). In Australia, the number of stay-at-home dads has doubled in the last decade, and dads also make up 16 percent of single parent families. In the U.K., there are now a whopping 10 times more stay-at-home dads than there were in 2001. You get the idea.

So this ‘recent’ phenomenon of the fully-involved father may not be as new as we thought!

In any case, the five things doctors want dads and other father figures to know, in a nutshell, are:

Talk to your kids

Play with your kids

Set a good example

Keep your vaccinations up to date

Get screened for depression.

While the first four may come as no surprise, the research also explained in more detail why fathers and mothers tend to bring different elements into the parenting equation. For example, dads can introduce new, unfamiliar words into a child’s vocabulary, and may prefer more rough-and-tumble, rowdy play.

But it’s that last item I especially want to talk more about. This year a new campaign has been launched around the inaugural International Fathers’ Mental Health Day, and Men’s Health Week in Australia, to raise awareness of post-natal depression (and ante-natal anxiety and similar issues) in men.

Research indicates that post-natal depression affects at least one in 10 dads – and many of them to suffer in silence, or turn to drugs or alcohol.

Like depressed moms, depressed dads will find it hard to bond with their children. While diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety in mothers has come a long way, including a much greater willingness to talk openly about the issue, we can’t yet say we’ve got to the same point with dads. Ultimately, the longer treatment is delayed the longer the recovery takes, and by that time the family unit may have broken down. So mothers and kids are suffering too.

Ideally, with increased awareness among the community and health professionals, we can provide mental health screening and services to all parents, male and female, and help them create happy and healthy environments for their kids.

Parenthood can be tiring and sometimes challenging, but overall should be enjoyable. So let's support dads, and families, and look towards an even better future.

Matt Sanders

Dr Matt Sanders is the founder of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program. He is also Director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland, Australia.

Disclosure statement:
The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is owned by the University of Queensland. The University, through its main technology transfer company, UniQuest Pty Ltd, has licensed Triple P International Pty Ltd to publish and disseminate the program worldwide. Royalties stemming from published Triple P resources are distributed to the Parenting and Family Support Centre; School of Psychology; Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences; and contributory authors. Various staff and students from The University of Queensland are contributory authors. No author has any share or ownership in Triple P International Pty Ltd.